Pipe cartridge



C. E. PALMER PIPE CARTRIDGE Sept. 23, 1969 Filed oct. 5, 1967 mf'FNTOR. CHARLES E PALMER U.S. Cl. 131-3 8 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Cartridges which are preloaded with tobacco and insertable into the bowl of a pipe, and smoking pipes especially designed for use in combination therewith. 'I'he cartridges are arranged to be supported within the bowls by means of upper horizontal anges having pressure sensitive or other adhesive material on the lower surfaces thereof for engaging the upper rims of the bowls, and peripheral ribs for spacing the outer walls of the cartridges from the inner walls and the bottoms of the bowls. The upper mouth of each cartridge has a removable closure thereon and the lower end has a removable closure covering a smoke passing aperture, the closures being removed before the cartridge is ignited in the bowl of a pipe.

Background of the invention As is well known, the procedure for preparing conventional pipes for smoking involves lling the bowl with fresh tobacco and then tamping the tobacco placed therein. If the tobacco is too loosely packed, it will burn in a fast, hot and uneven manner. If, on the other hand, it is too tightly packed, the draw of the pipe will be difficult and burn-out will occur frequently. Thus, the tamping step must be carefully done. After the tobacco has been consumed, to prepare the pipe for a subsequent use the resulting plug of ash and any unburned tobacco must be removed and the bowl of the pipe should be reamed to free it of caked-on and charred remnants.

In addition, many of the conventional pipes have a disposable iilter inserted within the stem portion to extract tars and other undesirable matter from the smoke passing therethrough. Such lters quickly become clogged and ineffectual so that they should be replaced frequently. Often, this is not done suiciently frequently and enjoyment and protections are sacrificed as a result. Hence, it can be seen that there are a number of operations associated with the smoking of pipes which may be inconvenient and tend to lessen the smokers pleasure. Moreover, pipe tobacco is ordinarily sold in pouches and canisters, and once these containers are opened the tobacco has a great tendency to rapidly become stale. This can normally be avoided only by transferring the tobacco to a humidor or similar device, as quickly as possible after the original container has been opened.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pipe cartridge in which the tobacco is packed for optimum burning characteristics and which is sealed until it is ready for use to ensure freshness and maximum smoking pleasure.

It is also an object to provide a pipe cartridge which is readily and conveniently removed from the pipe bowl when the tobacco is consumed.

Another object is to provide such a cartridge having a self-contained lter which will be fresh for each smoke.

A further object is to provide a smoking pipe which is particularly adapted to receive such cartridges.

te States Patent ice Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the bowl end of a smoking pipe, with the bowl in section to illustrate a tobacco cartridge embodying the present invention and the construction of the collar and chamber mouth;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the bowl and cartridge of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of a tobacco cartridge embodying the present invention.

Summary of the invention It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects can be readily attained in a smoking pipe cartridge which comprises a body insertable into the chamber of a smoking pipe bowl which body has a cavity therein with 'an upwardly opening mouth and an aperture or draw passage in the lower portion thereof providing communication between the cavity and the exterior. The cavity in the body is prelled with smoking tobacco, and closure members or covers overlie the mouth of the cavity and the aperture and are releasably engaged with the body to close the cavity and aperture for storage prior to use.

The cartridge `desirably includes support means for positioning it within the chamber of a smoking pipe bowl, and the support means preferably comprises a peripheral range extending laterally outwardly from the body of the cartridge adjacent the mouth of the cavity therein. This flange is supported by the bowl adjacent to the mouth of the chamber to suspend the body of the cartridge therewithin. It is most desirable to position a plug of lter material within the body cavity between the tobacco and aperture.

In a preferred embodiment, a cartridge with laterally outwardly extending support means is used in combination with a smoking pipe having a bowl and a collar releasably engaged with the bowl near the mouth of its chamber. The bowl of such a pipe has a peripheral shelf adjacent to the chamber mouth for seating the support means of the cartridge, and collar has a lateral element overlying the shelf of the bowl whereby the support means is held between the lateral element and shelf to support securely the body of the cartridge in the chamber.

Description of the preferred embodiments The tobacco cartridges and the combination thereof with smoking pipe bowls will now be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawing. Referring iirst to FIGURES 1 and 2, the bowl end, generally designated 10, of a smoking pipe is illustrated as having a bowl 12 and a pipe stern portion 14 laterally projecting from the lower portion of the bowl 12. An internal chamber 16 with an upwardly opening mouth 18 is provided in the bowl 12, and the pipe stem portion 14 has a bore 20 which communicates at one end with the chamber 16 and which has an outer enlarged portion 22 at the other end for receiving and frictonally engaging the stem (not shown) of the smoking pipe. The bowl 12 has engaged thereon about the mouth 18 of the chamber 16 a collar generally designated by the numeral 24 which collar has a laterally inwardly projecting flange 26 and a depending sidewall 28. An internal thread 30 on the sidewall 28 is releasably engageable with a mating thread 32 on the bowl 12. The end surface 34 of the bowl 12 thus provides a peripheral shelf adjacent the mouth 18 upon which is supported a tobacco cartridge generally designated by the numeral 36.

With additional reference now to FIGURE 3, which depicts the cartridge 36 prior to assembly with the bowl 12, the cartridge 36 is comprised of a body 38 having a cavity 39 with an upwardly opening mouth 40 and an aperture 42 at the lower end thereof. To provide a desirable level of structural strength, longitudinal ribs or corrugations 44 are provided about the body 38 which may also serve to seat and space the cartridge within the bowl chamber 16. The cartridge body 38 has a peripheral ange 46 which extends laterally outwardly from the body 38 adjacent the mouth 40 of the cavity 39 and seats on the end surface or shelf 34 of the bowl 12. The cavity 39 has at its lower end a plug of filter material 48 over the aperture 42, and on top of the filter plug 48 a quantity of tobacco 50 is supported. As seen in FIGURE 3, the cartridge 36 prior to use has a closure member 52 releasably engaged over the mouth 40 of the cavity 39, and a cover member 56 releasably engaged with the exterior of the body 38 over the aperture 42. Closure member 52 and cover member 56 are provided respectively with tabs 54, 58 to facilitate removal thereof from the body 38 and are desirably engaged by use of pressure sensitive adhesive or the like (not shown) to provide a readily removable hermetic seal.

It will now be evident that the tobacco cartridges of the present invention can be utilized in conjunction with a smoking pipe by removing the closure and cover members 52, 56 and then inserting the body 38 of the cartridge 36 into the chamber 16 of the bowl 12. In the illustrated embodiment of pipe, the threaded collar 24 must first be removed from the bowl 12, and the body 38 is placed within the chamber 16 so that the peripheral flange 46 is supported upon the peripheral shelf 34 of the bowl 12. Reassembly of the collar 24 upon the bowl 12 causes the flange 26 of the collar 24 to overlie and lock the flange 46 against the shelf 34. The body 38 will accordingly be suspended within the chamber 16 so that when the smoker draws through the stem (not shown), air will flow downardly through the tobacco 50 and thereafter successively through the filter 48, out the aperture 42, into chamber 16 and through the bore 20.

As long as the cartridge is designated to have a size and shape suitable for insertion into the bowl of a pipe, its particular configuration is relatively unimportant. It is, however, desirable that the body be sufficiently large to contain an adequate supply of tobacco and yet of small enough dimensions to fit varying sizes of bowls. Thus, longitudinal ribs or corrugations on the exterior of the body may serve not only to add structural rigidity to the cartridge but also to facilitate relatively stable placement within pipe bowls of various sizes through deflection thereof.

As has been previously mentioned, an aperture is provided near the bottom of the cartridge so that air can be drawn into the mouth of the cavity and through the cartridge body. Preferably, the aperture will be provided at the bottom most location in the body so that the downward draft of air will pass through the entire column of tobacco and thus ensure maximum utilization of all of the tobacco loaded in the cartridge. The aperture must be large enough so that free draw through the pipe is not inhibited, and yet small enough to prevent the escape of tobacco therethrough.

However, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a plug of filter material is inserted within the cartridge body between the aperture and the tobacco. This filter material may be any porous or gas pervious material such as cellulosic materials, synthetic plastics, pressed activated carbon, sintered metal and the like. Normally it will be a relatively inexpensive material having numerous microscopic pores to allow the passage of gas and remove matter which may be entrained in the gas passing through the lter. Due to their relatively low cost and effectiveness, charcoal-type filters are especially well adapted for this application. Since the filter is contained I -4 within the cartridge, a fresh one is conveniently supplied with each new cartridge, affording the maximum in health protection and enjoyment to the smoker.

Since the cartridges of this invention are designed for only a single use, the material out of which the body is fabricated must also be relatively inexpensive. It should preferably be relatively easily formed. Although high temperature synthetic plastics and ceramic materials may be utilized, the preferred materials are metal foils. Aluminum, for example, is an ideal material since it is relatively cheap, easily formed, not subject to deterioration from heat or exposure, and resistant to damage due to its toughness in relatively thin sections. Although the metal may be drawn into the cartridge shape or impact extruded the foil is preferably deformed into a mold of desirable configuration, and this may produce simultaneously the ribs or corrugations.

To prepare the cartridges of the invention, the body portion will be molded or otherwise fabricated by a manufacturer, who may complete the assembly himself or who, more probably, will ship the bodies to a packing plant where they will be filled and sealed. Since the filling operation can, and normally will, be mechanized, a high degree of control over packing tightness and consistency from cartridge-to-cartridge can be attained. Suitable covers or closures will be secured over the mouth of the cavity and over the aperture in the lower portion of the body to prevent loss of the tobacco and to maintain freshness. Achieving the latter objective constitutes a most advantageous aspect of the present invention, since tobacco sold in bulk forms has a great tendency to become stale after the original packages have been opened.

The closure or cover which is used to seal the cavity mouth and aperture need not be constructed of the same material as the body, and the choice of material will depend largely upon the method used to secure the closures to the body. Such methods include crimping when at least one element is metallic, solvent or heat bonding when at least one element is a synthetic plastic which may be rendered tacky, or bonding by a separate layer of adhesive, which is a suitable technique in most instances. However, it should be borne in mind that, since these members are to be releasably engaged with the body, it is essentiai that the method of sealing be one that will allow facile removal and yet provide a relatively air-tight seal to ensure freshness.

In order to permit drawing tobacco smoke through the pipe stem, the cartridge must provide an air passage from its aperture to the bore in the stem portion of the bowl. According, it must be suspended upwardly from the bottom of the bowl chamber or otherwise spaced and channeled to provide the passage. In still further embodiments, the passage or aperture in the cartridge may be located to one side thereof so as to be alignable with the bore of the pipe stem portion with a tab or indicia on the top of the cartridge serving to facilitate proper placement in the bowl, or the cartridge may be so tapered as to engage frictionally with the wall of the chamber in a position spaced from the bottom thereof.

Although suitable means for suspending the cartridge in the bowl may be provided by a plurality of laterally extending tabs spaced about the periphery thereof, most desirably a continuous peripheral ange is provided about the mouth of the cavity. Such lateral support elements are conveniently formed integrally with the body of the cartridge and may be secured on the pipe bowl in various ways. For example, the support elements can be placed over the outer edge of the bowl and then bent downwardly about the side thereof. Alternatively, they may merely be fitted thereover, if preformed with a downwardly extending wall, or snapped thereon if a resiliently deflectable downwardly extending wall is provided. Adhesive spots on the laterally-extending support means can also be utilized to stick to the end surface of the pipe bowl.

The cartridge can also be utilized in conjunction with conventional pipes by providing a collar or adapter ring with each package of cartridges. Such collars may have a depending portion which snaps over or into the end of the bowl and a flange or portion which retains the support elements in position on the edge of the bowl. However, it is highly advantageous to employ the cartridges of the present invention in combination with a pipe having a bowl end designed especially to receive and retain them. In such a case, a collar which can be assembled with the bowl of the pipe to hold a flange or other support means of the cartridge against the end surface of the bowl is most desirably used, and the collar should include a lateral element designed to overlie such support means.

'I'he particular means by which the collar is assembled with the bowl is relatively unimportant, and many methods will occur to those who are skilled in the art. For example, the collar may comprise a simple Washer-shaped member which can snap into a depression provided on the inside surface of the bowl. Alternatively, the collar can have an annular, laterally-extending element and a sidewall depending about the circumference thereof. The interior surface of the sidewall will be provided with means for engaging complementary means on the outside surface of the pipe bowl near the mouth of the chamber thereof. These interengaging means may be threads by which the collar can be screwed over the bowl, or, when the collar is relatively resilient, the means may comprise a peripheral bead about the bowl or the collar, and a complementary peripheral recess in the mating surface of the other member. To support the cartridge, the pipe bowl should have a peripheral shelf adjacent the chamber mouth, and this shelf may be recessed Within the chamber or it may be provided by the rim or edge of the bowl.

Accordingly, it can be seen that the present invention provides smoking pipe cartridges, and pipes especially adapted for use in combination with them, in which the tobacco is packed for optimum burning characteristics and which are sealed to ensure freshness. The cartridges are removed conveniently when the charge of tobacco has been consumed, and they may have self-contained lters providing a fresh filter each time the cartridge is changed.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A smoking pipe cartridge comprising: a body insertable into the chamber of a smoking pipe bowl and providing a cavity with an upwardly opening relatively large mouth and a smoke passing aperture material smaller than said mouth and located in the lower portion of the body; smoking tobacco contained within said cavity; a closure member overlying said cavity mouth to close said cavity and releasably engaged with said body; and a cover overlying said aperture to cover said aperture and releasably engaged with said body to prevent substantially the escape of tobacco therethrough.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said body has support means for positioning said cartridge within the chamber of a smoking pipe bowl with said aperture spaced above the bottom end thereof.

3. The cartridge of claim 2 wherein said support means comprises a peripheral [lange extending laterally outwardly from said body adjacent said cavity mouth and supportable adjacent the mouth of the chamber of the pipe to suspend said body therewithin.

4. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said cartridge includes a plug of lter material positioned within said cavity between said tobacco and aperture, whereby filterable matter is at least partially removed from a gaseous stream containing such matter drawn successively through said tobacco, plug and aperture.

5. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said body includes means for securing said cartridge to the rim of the bowl of a conventional pipe.

6. The cartridge of claim 5 wherein said securing means comprises a peripheral flange extending laterally outwardly from said body adjacent said cavity mouth and a pressure-sensitive adhesive on the underside of said flange.

7. The cartridge of claim S wherein said securing means comprises a peripheral ange extending laterally outwardly from said body adjacent said cavity, said dlange having a depending peripheral wall designed to fit tightly over the rim and about the outside surface of the bowl.

8. The pipe cartridge of claim 1 wherein said body has longitudinal ribs spaced about the periphery thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 380,590 4/1888 Peabody 131-3 610,839 9/1898 Wright 131-196 1,356,736 10/1920 Prophet 131-196 2,258,933 10/1941 Knob 131--3 2,637,327 5/ 1953 Nadelson 131-220 XR 2,718,892 9/1955 Holderman 131-196 2,937,648 5/1960 Meyer 131-3 2,991,788 7/1961 Brost 131-3 3,292,639 12/ 1966 Zarikta 131-220 FOREIGN PATENTS 520,316 2/ 1921 France.

24,471 1896 Great Britain. 5,488 1897 Great Britain. 22,190 1900 Great Britain. 310,638 5/ 1929 Great Britain.

JOSEPH S. FEICH, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 131--204, 220 

